Keep Your Eyes Open with the 21st Annual Hunger Games
by I'm not a piece in their games
Summary: My name is Kimberley Owen, I'm seventeen, from district two, and a career. I'm supposed to volunteer for the twenty-second Hunger Games. Instead I'm reaped into this years Games with Blaze, a career who is my equal. I refuse to believe he is better than me. But with emotional breakdowns and hysteric fits. How am I supposed to win this? Rated T for mild swearing, violence & abuse.
1. Smirks and Quirks

"Hey Johnnie You look dashing today!" Twill calls out, the flirt! Obsessed with Johnnie who has tried to kill her multiple times. I mean I've tried to kill him and Blaze multiple times but still.

"Oh p**s off!" He says annoyed.

"Twill, come on lets go and work on fencing." I tell her flipping my light brown hair out of my face, as always when I get annoyed.

"But you're already good at everything!" Twill complains looking at Johnnie still.

"No I could be a little better which the chain mace, lets fence." I say I head over to the fencing and change course at the sight of a blonde haired blue-eyed boy waiting for a Fencing partner.

"Hey Twill want to fence?" He calls over.

"No not really Blaze but Kim was wanting to." Great now I have to fence with the most annoying boy in district two, he's only annoying cause he's my equal in training.

"Well come on Kim." He says gesturing towards a sword. I sigh I did want to work on my left hand slashing. Grabbing the sword in my left hand I step up to the ring.

"And GO!" Twill calls, I am immediately under an onslaught of slashes and jabs. I block all of them and he does the same we are pretty evenly matched actually, although I best him at archery and throwing knives.

"Surrender!" I say, as our swords are at an X in mid air.

"Why don't you?"

"Cause I'm better then you just admit it!" By now we have a small crowd watching us waiting to see what will happen. He looks away from my face and at the blades; I barely have time to block his blow to then neck when he starts jabbing at my gut. My eyes flash this is fun. We fight harder each hoping to bring out the others weakness he is literally about to kill me when our trainer comes out.

"Enough both of you! We all know you're the best and if we let you two sort out who's the better one of you will be dead."

"Which one?" I shoot back glaring at Blaze who just smirks at me knowing he was about to win.

"I'm not going to say but training is over for the day, tomorrow is the reaping and frankly I'm sick with a fever, and tired." Our trainer says dismissing us.

The walk home is nice it's warm, Cloudy, and windy my favorite weather.

"I would have won if mister 'I'm to ill and tired to finish helping you guys train' hadn't stopped me."

"Too bad for you." I reply not giving him a backwards glance. I can hear him snorting in annoyance at my obstinate ways.

"What do you want Blaze?" I ask he already passed his house and I am a might worried that he'll try something.

"I'm volunteering tomorrow."

"Well that is good news." I actually manage a real smile at him, it is good news with him gone I'll be the best of the best in our District, yes!

"You won't be sad to see me leave?"

"I've tried killing you numerous times haven't I?" I ask, does he really think I care ten straws about him?

"Ah yes but deep down you have feelings for me." He says quietly.

"Don't flatter yourself Blaze you're not that good looking."

"Hah! You just admitted that you think I am good looking!" He says triumphantly.

"Err… not really but you're not ugly."

"How long have you been attracted to me?"

"I'm not, so shut up and go back home! I'm happy for you, you get to go get killed in the games now leave!" I say slamming my front door in his face.

"Sh**!" I hear him curse and I laugh a little as he walks away with a hand to his nose.

"Hey sis was that blaze!"

"Yes but he had to go home."

"Oh, why are you home early?" My eleven-year-old brother asks. He for some reason has made Blaze his role model.

"Cause Daniel was 'Frankly ill and tired' so he gave us the rest of the day." I explain. My brother Luke goes to training as well but he gets out early cause he's young.

"Oh want to do something?" He asks looking at me smiling.

"No I need to think about what I'm going to wear tomorrow." I tell him, heading into my room I like my room a lot it's black blue white and grey themed my favorite colors. I sit down on my bed thinking of what tomorrow will bring, Blaze will be volunteering, therefore I will not. Next year will be my last chance my name has actually been picked before when I was twelve but someone volunteered and got themselves killed instead. Reaching back into my drawer for my dress I brush against a three-year-old dress, plain and beautiful I'll wear it tomorrow the dress is Ice green, which will bring out the green in my eyes nicely, then there is a woven off-white belt a little above the waist, I'll wear a pair of brown flats the ones with the ruffles and pull my hair into a ponytail my shoulder length light brown curls won't go in much else, that decided. I'll go to the range and work on archery.

The wind has died down so my arrows will fly straighter, I raise the string to my cheek and let go, as always I get a bulls-eye. I keep going always getting bulls-eyes no real challenge. Suddenly I drop to the ground do a summersault and shoot, the arrow goes a little to the left, so I try it again and again until, yes! My arrow made its mark standing out in the little red circle among the black and white.  
"Bravo Kim." How long has he been watching?

"Johnnie." I acknowledge him with a nod getting my arrow.

"Tell me does twill like me?" I can't help but snort does he not know a thing about normal girls? Me not being one of them since I've never had a crush in my entire seventeen years of living but all the others seem to have had at least eighty.

"Do I take that as a no?" I won't even answer, this is Twill's life and I'm not going to mess with it. "Well at least tell her I like her."

"But you always tell her to 'P**s off'" I Am really confused he's such a jerk to her I don't care but I still think it's weird.

"Yeah to cover up my true feelings." He explains.

"There's no point having feelings in district two." I say grabbing my bow and arrow; I start to walk out of the range.

"Well tell her!"

"Not coming from me, you tell her." I call back Heading to my street.

I spend the rest of my day slashing a dummy into pieces with my knives.

It's getting dark out; the yelling form the kitchen is annoying. My parents are fighting as usual, every time they do this, I go out to the tree in the empty house's yard next door. Grabbing a pack of dried meet, and my water bottle slip out my bedroom window, the grass feels soft beneath my feet as I cross over our small side yard. I'm so used to climbing high into the tree that getting a few branches from the top is effortless. Though the crickets are very loud and annoying.

"Why can't parents just get along?" I ask thin air, Staring at the stars through the swaying branches.

"Cause they're parents?" The sensation of falling, the feeling of wind rushing past your body as you plummet, down, down, down, Crashing through the branches and leaves for what seems like eternity but when you hit the ground seemed too short. This is what I feel as I head down to the ground. Just before my body crushes into the ground something catches me. I open my eyes adrenaline still coursing through my veins to see light blonde hair and baby blue eyes.

"You scare easily."

"Oh and who scared me?"

"Well I did, but I also saved your life."

"What? If you hadn't scared me my life wouldn't be in danger Blaze!" I tell him annoyed. "Now let me go." I say struggling to get out of his grasp.

"Fine but at least thank me." Blaze says putting me down.

"I will not. If you hadn't been there I wouldn't have fallen." I complain leaning against the tree trying to catch my breath.

"If you hadn't been in my yard I wouldn't have been there." Blaze points out smirking at me.

"No one lives here twit." I hiss finally getting my breath back he's still smirking at me so I glare at him. Mixed emotions, thankful for him saving my life or at least my back, Anger, at him scaring the crap out of me so that I would fall out of the tree, and something brought out by the way that he's smirking that I've never felt before. Anger overrides any other feeling as usual; there are hardly any feelings at all.

"That's true but it's my hide out, you hungry?"

"How do-"

"-I know that you were hungry?" I nod my head, making my face blank and pushing away the small pinch that I felt in my stomach when he smirked. How does he get me so well when I don't have anything to get?

"Well from that upper window." He points to a window on the third floor that's open. "I can hear your parents yelling and when my parents fight they never make dinner so just understanding I guess. Come on in."

"Sure." I tell him fallowing him hesitantly as he opens the door. "So? How long has this been your hide out?" I ask I've been going to the tree for about six months since my dad got back from the capitol.

"A couple of months why?" He asks then starts again before I can say anything. "I've heard you ranting before yes." He says smiling a little leading me into a kitchen. "It's a little bit of a mess I had some friends over." He explains I look around.

"I can tell."

"Really how?"

"There is no way you could drink all those beers and still catch me." I tell him motioning to all the empty beer bottles. He laughs a little then grows serious.

"It hurts when they fight doesn't it?" He asks looking me in the eye, handing me a glass of water and cookie.

"No, I don't feel anything." He gives me this questioning look. "Is that normal?" He raises an eyebrow. "Not feeling anything hardly anger even and I never feel sad and I think the last time I cried I was six or something." I tell him simply as if it really is nothing.

"You mean you don't have any other feeling than Anger?" I nod my head taking a bite of cookie; it's chocolate chip my favorite. "Not even say attraction?" I shake my head and he looks at me like I just grew another head. "Well that's weird, but maybe I just feel too much, even though my sister says I don't fell enough sympathy but she only wants sympathy for herself and he stupid boyfriend, so what does it matter?" He asks pushing his light hair out of his eyes taking another cookie for himself.

"Oh well I should probably be getting back." I tell him blankly.

"Okay See you tomorrow?"

"Well I'll be at the reaping. And I wonder why Daniel was too tired I mean it's the day before the reaping and we only get a half day." I say mad that I didn't get to train more. "There see!" I tell Blaze "Should I care that Daniel is sick? I mean I only care about missing training hours." I ask why don't I feel anything? Blaze smiles.

"No one feels sorry for him being ill!" He laughs and I can't help but smile a little. It is very true Daniel might be helping to save our lives but he's a royal pain on the A**.

"Well good by." I say smiling slightly against my will.

"Night." He says walking me to the door.

Short the next one will be he reaping enjoy!


	2. Reapings and Beatings

I, as usual, am up before dawn breaks. Listening to the birds singing softly. The one thing I do not hate is singing, in fact it is the one thing that comes close to throwing knives. I slip my night dress off and head for the bathroom, turning the shower on I head to the sink and brush my teeth, I put too much mint paste on and the taste burns my tongue, great now whatever food I eat for the next hour and a half with have a minty taste to it. The shower is nice, although as usual I cut myself shaving a few times, I mean who doesn't really? Wrapping myself in a big fluffy towel, I head to my closet to get my clothes. My old dress is still as pretty as usual. The green will bring out my eyes. Slipping my clothes on I slide my feet into my brow ballet flats, and head down stairs. The house is quiet. My parents being peacekeepers leave even before I get up and around. The kitchen yellow, red, and blue themed is spacious with a big oven that only I use, and an even bigger fridge. Which I head to immediately, I open the milk and smell it before deeming it not expired. The minty taste has finally left my mouth so my small breakfast will at least taste good. I just went to the store a few days ago, so we have non-stale cereal. I grab the cereal from the pantry, which is only puffed up wheat with caramel flavoring, but I still enjoy it in the morning. What will happen today? I know blaze will be volunteering, but who will the girl be? Out of so many choices anyone can be picked, it'll be most likely someone I haven't even heard of before. Some person who stays average in training not doing bad but not doing well either, staying average so they don't have to fight me. I have to admit I like the way the dress looks on me even if I do not care how I look. Pulling my wet hair into a ponytail I examine my face, my mom has always said a little bit of mascara and a tiny bit of lip color will enhance my features. I apply both very lightly, as to make myself still recognizable. This has taken me roughly an hour and a half; not being used to putting on makeup it was a little time consuming and hard. I head up the stairs when I am done eating. My brother's room, second to the left, is green with brown accents to it. He for some reason cannot sleep without four fans blasting at him. I turn them off one by one; he wakes up when they are all off and turned away from him. He sits up, groggily rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Morning Kim." He slowly rises from his cocoon of blankets of sheets. How he sleeps wrapped up like a burrito I shall never know.

"Get up and dressed I'll be leaving to the market shortly so don't burn the house down." I tell him severely and he blushes remembering when he almost did burn the house down after dropping a lit candle on the old rug in the living room.

After getting Luke up and eating, I head down to the market. The market is a busy place. Vendors calling out what they have in stock. Lets see I need peanuts, carrots, flour, and some candy for Luke. After purchasing that. I headed back home a little embarrassed that I had walked out into the market in my reaping dress. I hadn't seen another kid from training the entire time.

"Hey you need to get going!" Luke calls out from the kitchen.

"I'm fully aware of that Lucas." I tell him handing him a lollipop, "Put the groceries away!" I call back heading into my room to redo my hair, since it is now a mess, I really don't know how my hair gets so messed up when I was just walking.

This time I put my hair into a loose floppy bun with hair hanging down like a tail.

"See you later freak!" I yell to him heading outside.

I catch the crowd rushing to the sing in.

After signing in, I head over with the seventeen year old girls. I weave my self into the crowd of them, hoping no one will notice me looking like…well a girl. I flick my hair out of my eyes while Lady goes through the reasons for the hunger games. Please! I have been listening to this for five years. After that, Lace. District two's only girl victor and mentor. Wishes us good luck. She is sadistic, demented, and mentally unstable. She is drop dead gorgeous, but you don't want to get to close to her or she will legit chop your fingers off.

"And now we will do the men first." Lady giggles in her high capitol accent. Reaching into the solid gold bowl (our district symbols power) she moves her hand around in there dramatically.

"Gordon Borealis!" she squeaks, so exited it is demented. I turn and look at the boy heading up looking like he is trying not to cry. And I know why, he is terrible he is seventeen but he is in level 5! He's pathetic. He heads up on stage and stands there with an indescribable face. "Any volunteers?" lady squeaks.

"I volunteer!" I know who it is but I turn to look anyway. Blaze stands there with a smirk on his face.

"Looks like we have a volunteer!" Lady squeals hopping up and down, "Come on up!" Blaze takes the stairs in bounds two at a time. "What's your name young man?" She asks grabbing his hand.  
"Blaze freeman." Blaze says proudly his eyes dart over the crowd till they rest on me. And he smiles. I'm confused why is he smiling at me? Yesterday I made it clear I was happy he was going to die soon.

"And now for the young ladies!" She squeaks again. I swear just because she squeaks, if I get picked I'll kill her. The second I think those words I regret them.

"Kimberly Owen!" I stare at her what! What! Me! But I'm supposed to volunteer next year! "Kimberly Owen are you out there?" Lady says, looking strait at me with a pointed look. I walk up to the stairs and stop, I take a deep breath and slowly walk up to them right before I get on stage I put on a blank expression. Unlike blaze he looks like he was just painfully slaughtered for a second then he puts on a blank face. I give him a 'what the hell?' face before I shake hands with him. Lady says some other un-reassuring stuff about how lucky we are to be representing our district and other stuff that I consider utter of crap. I search the crowd till my eyes lock on a crying Luke. After this he'll have to take care of himself, feed himself, drag himself through training every day. I shake my head at him to stop crying it's annoying! Does he have no faith in me? I'm tied for the best in the district and he's crying for me! That one thing though upsets me, I am tied for best with Blaze and he is going to be in the arena with me. The thought is a little unsettling. I am shoved into the justice building by uniformed peacekeepers I recognize one as Dad he looks like he wants to kill me. Tough luck Dad, some kid is going to have the honor. He pushes me into a room, with a mirror, three chares, a coffee table, and a coffee and tea maker. I stand up from one of the chares as Dad and Mom walk in the first thing I hear is Slap! And the first thing I feel is pain. I don't even flinch as my Dad smacks my cheek again. I just stare at him daring him to do it again. Which of course he does but I still don't back down. Next I have to face Mom she is stolid not an emotion on her firm features.

"I can't believe you!" my Dad thunders smacking me again. "Now who will take care of Luke huh?" He walks away and starts making himself a cup of coffee. He does know he only has three minutes right? "You are so inconsiderate!" he raises him arm again but I block it with mine. "You think I chose to get reaped!" I yell at him letting my anger show. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong by fallowing the law that you enforce!" I spit at him quieter. He is about to hit me with his other hand, when another peacekeeper comes in and takes them away. I am used to being hit by my father. My mom will help me but only when he isn't in the room. She is afraid of him and you can see why. The door reopens and Twill walks in with a crying Luke. Luke immediately throws his arms around my waist, (He is a tiny eleven year old) and Twill looks at my red cheek.

"Did your father really hit you when he came in to visit you!" She states more than asks I nod and shrug it off.

"It would have been worse if I had volunteered. " I offer bending down to look Luke in the face. "Hey it's alright I'll see you in three weeks." I tell him smiling into his pitiful face, "You can take care of yourself freak." I tell him. He smiles at my nickname for him. He really is a freak though. Thick glasses that make his eyes look really big, more freckles than me, and curly brown hair with a cowlick on the back of his head. "Twill," I say standing up to face her. "Make sure he is okay." I say then think for a second, "And if my Dad so much as _touches_ a hair on his little head call the authorities." I can tell she is about to make some remark about how my parents are the authorities, "I mean the other authorities!" I hiss as the peacekeeper comes back to take them away, I give Luke and Twill a last hug and make them a promise. "See you dorks soon." They know I am okay if I can still insult them with a smirk on my face. Twill laughs in relief and Luke sighs, and tells me he loves me; I'm about to tell him I do too, when the peacekeeper closes the door. I sit unmoving looking at the fresh coffee growing cold on the table.

Lady comes in to get me smiling at me with her purple lips, she is wearing a mini-skirt that barely goes below her butt, a long poufy-sleeved shirt with ruffles all over the front and a strait purple wig, it looks like she would have been an attractive twenty year old young lady if not for, well everything I just said. I step onto the train it is black on the outside as well as the inside, but on the inside it is decorated with crystal everything, heck the windows are made of crystal. I sit down on a black chair alone and watch the woods go by. I say my final goodbye to the mountain that I used to look out at from my tree. I know this is the last time I'll ever see it. I hear a door open and close behind me, without turning around I know who it is I can smell his cologne, anarchy is the scent, I had heard him bragging to Johnny and the rest of the boys about it. I turn around I look at Blaze.

"Well that certainly was a change in events." I state plainly. He looks pain and I have to laugh at his facial expression, it's priceless!

"How are you?" he says demurely sitting across from me.

"Well besides my cheek I'm fine." I tell him he knows my father hits me, I mean once I showed up to training with a black eye, a swollen nose, and a split lip. I had told everyone I got in a fight with some punks. But I told Twill the truth and he had been eavesdropping.

"It looks bad?" he asks raising an eyebrow.

"No I think this is the smallest beating I've had." I scoff, making him smile. I hear the door open again and I turn to see Lace, she smiles at us,

"I know you two! The best of the best!" She says glaring at us yet still smiling. I give her a concerned look but Blaze hops out of his chair and gives her a hug.  
"Umm what's going on?" I ask looking at them quizzically.

"Oh, right," Blaze, says like everything is coming to light. "Lace is my cousin." He tells me.

"Seriously? Your cousin?" I ask looking at him like he's as crazy as her.

"Yes seriously miss Kimberly!" Lace says.

"Kim! My name is Kim!" I say glaring at her, right as Lady walks in.

"Well isn't someone touchy!" she exclaims and Blaze busts out laughing remarking, how they have no Idea how touchy I am. I head on over to a table with, wine, apples, pears, bread, and cheese. I grab a cheese knife and weigh it in my hand, yes it will do nicely, aiming it I send it right between lace and Blaze, making it hit a crystal wineglass.

"Now miss Kim!" Lace says looking at me with a face that is a mixture of awe and reproach, I immediately expect to be reprimanded about how much the glass costs, and how that was irrational, and how I need to control my temper. So I am shocked when they all start clapping. I give each of them a glare-half-smile.

"Well it looks like you are good." Lady says; even though I could have hit a grape from back here I still do not exactly hate the compliment, though I don't relish it either. Duh I'm good!

"She's great," Blaze says as if he is showing off, "At everything." He continues but I cut him off.

"I'm rusty with the chain mace." I blurt out too fast hoping to not seem perfect. I'm rewarded by laughing! They're laughing right at my face. I give them a fake smile all too brilliant all to perfect. They stop and an awkward silence ensues, Blaze, Somehow always being the hero rescues me.

"Well I'm hungry!" He says contentedly, having had his laugh. "Anyone else?" everyone (yes even I) agree. We sit down around the small island that holds the fruit, cheese, and wine. I refuse to touch wine, not until I am eighteen (The legal drinking age here.) Blaze, who is legally able to drink, still only has a glass of red wine. I admit I tried a little of all the wine. I like strawberry best, it is so sweet you can hardly taste the alcohol.

"So lace…" I am going to get some mentoring out of her, "Any suggestions as to well anything?"

"Yes never have strawberry wine with cheddar cheese!" She says seriously.

"I mean about the hunger games!" I say louder then I probably should, but this is getting annoying.

"Well you are careers… and the capitols favorites… so the other careers will look to you… assuming you are going to be in the career pack?" She asks looking at Blaze and then me, then back to Blaze. We both nod at the same time, I can feel his stare on the side of my head but I pointedly ignore it.

"Good smart move… but watch your back you never know who's sticking a knife in it." She warns.

"The only person sticking a knife in anyone will be me." I tell them smirking a little. I have to give myself a little credit sometimes right?

"I'm sure it will be, I'm sure it will be." Lace says pouring even more raspberry wine into her glass. I grab another slice of apple and pop it into my mouth.

"I'll need to get my hands on an axe!" Blaze smiles wickedly, I know he is deadly with an axe I am deadly with everything but he is… no he is not better then me! I refuse to believe it! "Or a sword." He admits after a few seconds of consideration.

"Ah yes!" Lace sighs staring off into space. "Choosing a weapon! I chose a spear, as you all know." Lace says. She won the hunger games three years ago it had been one of the bloodiest I have seen. Lace had been manipulative; she had wormed her way into the heart of the boy from district one, then when there were five tributes left, she killed him when his back was turned on her. It had been gory since he didn't die for thirty minutes. Lace had made it slow and agonizing. It was one of those things that you want to look away from but can't. And I still remember how even when she speared him through the thigh, he had told her how much he loved her. When she killed him not a flicker of emotion crossed her deadly features. Lace has already fallen asleep on the couch.

Blaze and I tiptoe out. But which room is mine? All the doors look exactly alike.

"Third to the left." Blaze calls out walking into his room, which is right across the hall from mine. I really don't care so I go to sleep in my dress, I mean this is the last time I'll wear it right? Tomorrow is the chariots and I am not exited.

* * *

Well this one is a little longer than the last one. Next like she says will be the chariots. Please R&R!


	3. Fire and Ice

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"What the hell do you want?!" I yell at the person banging on my door groggily. I was having a dream about throwing knives for crying out loud!

"It's time to eat?" Blaze offers from the other side of the door,

"Unless there's poison I'll skip." I say, rising from my bed slowly. It is so comfortable, and the pj's are so soft!

"Can I come in?" Blaze asks.

"Knock yourself out." I tell him "On the door!" I head over to the closet. Not a wide range in clothes. I grab a soft grey t-shirt, and a pair of jean capris. I head to the dining room.

"Well…" Lace sighs.

"At least you could do your hair." Lady reproaches me.

"Be lucky I changed out of my pj's." that shuts her up effectively. I grab a plate and head over to the buffet. There is every kind of breakfast food you could imagine, and more. I stick to what I know, waffles, bacon, syrup, and raspberries.

"We are going to watch the reapings today." Lace tells us as I dig into my food.

"Fine but we skip over ours and the boring ones!" I say it's painful to watch the outer districts that all die in the bloodbath.

"No, no, no, no!" Lace tells us firmly. "We will watch them all they are competition and will be treated as such!" She reprimands us.

"They're barely competition." I complain.

"They still are, even though they aren't that impressive." Lace says flipping on the TV. So we can all here Friazers voice boom out.

"Hello and welcome to the twenty-first annual Hunger games reapings!" I sorta zone out for the rest of it until Blaze shakes me as district one comes up on the screen.

The first district is normal a girl gets picked half a dozen volunteer then the girl Glarer, who's last to volunteer goes up on stage. I look at her contemptuously. Her hair is died white, her skin tanner than it should be and she is wearing pink contacts pink! (She'll fit right in with the capitol) She's small like me, but younger.

"Wow she is a freak!" I exclaim and Blaze busts out laughing.

The boy, Colton, frightens me he is huge! Maybe 270 pounds, his dark eyes, red hair, and red freckles make him look like a nerd. But he has career written all over him. From the way he smiles when his name is picked, from the way he refuses to let any other boy take his place, he even punches one who is persistent he is 18 and has no family crying in his wake. I glance over at Blaze.

"Allies?" He and I ask at the same time. "I guess so." I tell him smiling faintly.

"You can skip over us." Blaze tells lace. "We already know how great we are." I throw a pillow at him.

District three's girl Grace. Is not a career you can tell as she busts out crying the second she's picked and no one volunteers for the twelve-year-old girl. Or the 16-year-old boy Evian he looks strong and maybe useful, he isHandsome with light hair, and dark eyes, but pale skin.

The girl from district four Chandra, is normal with plane brown hair and eyes nothing special except her heart shaped head. And the boy Sean is the same except a round head; he is also amazingly strong from what I can see. Neither of them were volunteers. And no one volunteered for them.

"The boy?" I ask looking from Blaze to the screen and back to Blaze. "Sure he looks strong." Blaze admits.

"And he looks like a career." Lace points out.

This went on… District 5, with Clara, who was obviously holding back tears as she walked up a bunch of people cried out no! But no one actually volunteered. Typical.

Henry, then walks up on stage he is only thirteen but looks way older. Something about how he looks and acts makes me decide he needs to go in the bloodbath. He acts as though he knows a secret no one else does.

The girl from district six Dina just looks like an idiot, she has green eyes and brown hair but looks drunk. Heck most likely she is. When she is reaped she busts out laughing and walks up on stage smiling.

Her district partner, Jacob is at least a little better, he has blonde hair and green eyes, he does not say a word or make a facial expression as he is called up. Points for him!

District sevens girl Naomi is fifteen with long black hair that almost reaches the ground; she looks confused as if she cannot believe she was picked. (Join the crowd) I think.

The boy is twelve with black hair and blue eyes, something about him is familiar but I can't put my finger on it.

Eight. (Gosh this is taking forever!) The boys are reaped first there like in district two. George is seventeen with black hair black looking eyes and tan skin, he is actually quite handsome, if you think about it enough, but his nose is a little weird. The girl who gets picked happens to be his girlfriend and they both bust out crying.

"Weak, it'll be easy to kill them" I say after they hug and kiss and go into the justice building.

"No necessarily," Lace says. "The fact that they are in love may make them fight harder for each other."

"Not if they're both dead in the bloodbath." I point out.

The girl from district nine is fat? I didn't even think that possible in the outer districts. Apparently she is the mayor's daughter and spoiled rotten. She is, well like I said fat. With brown hair and blue eyes.

The boy is the opposite, he is very muscular with blonde hair and brown eyes, and he actually looks a bit like Blaze.

Ten, the kids are twins. Both are thirteen, both have blonde hair and green eyes, and both are crying. They won't make it two days in the arena.

Eleven. Are never good. The boy, who is sixteen looks to be eleven. And the girl is the same although she is eighteen. They are obviously malnourished.

Twelve is a tiny bit better. The girl is fourteen looking twelve, and the boy is eighteen looking fourteen. After they go through, the screen turns to Fraizer and Grachel.

"Who do you think stands out in this group Grachel?" Fraizer asks the girl to his right.

"Well as usual district one is good they are very pretty and will get a lot of sponsors with their looks." She says. "But really district two came out with some beasts this year!" she says and the camera flips to us in the reaping "Yes they certainly caught my attention!" back to Fraizer. "The girl is stunning, but she looks like she'll tear your heart out with her own bear hands," Fraizer cautions.

"Yes, But Blaze wow! He made a great impression, handsome, fit, with just the right amount of softness." Blaze frowns next to me. "None!" Grachel squeals. "He is perfect for this years games." Lace then turns off the TV I look over at Blaze who has a smirk on his features.

"Time for bed." Lace says picking up some trash and handing it to an Avox. "Chariots are tomorrow and we do not want you to look sleepy.

"Ow!" I tell my hideous prep team as they pluck my eyebrows. My eyebrows are fine! Or at least I thought so they might not arch perfectly but I do not have a uni-brow! My prep team is an ugly bunch of what looks like a clothing factory blowing up. One of them, whose name is sparkle. (No I'm not joking) has silver skin and eyelashes that stick out three inches from her face. Another. Mel. (At least that name isn't that bad) but the look makes up for it; since he has jewels stuck all over him, yellow eyes and white hair. The third whose name I have thankfully failed to catch. Is the worst, with black nails, hair, lips, and somehow eyes. Her skin is silver as well.

"If you kept your eyebrows nice in your district all would be well!" Mel says in a voice way to high to be natural for a man. I glare at him as he continues to torture me.

"Well at least she shaved." The girls whose name I failed to catch points out. "It won't be that hard waxing." Wait? What? Waxing? They're gonna wax my hair? No way is that going to happen. Right as I'm thinking that some strip of paper covered in goo is shoved on my leg then brutally ripped off.

"Really!" I yell at all of them.

"Her hair is too thick," Sparkle complains taking a brush through my hair. "I need to thin it out. Lessi be a dear and hand me a pair of tweezers?" She asks. Great not only am I going to lose a lot of my hair but I now know creepiness' name!

After they are done setting me to whatever '_beauty-base-zero'_ is they wrap me in a robe and leave. Great at least I'll get to get a little bit of rest! That thought is short lived. As my stylist walks in. With a big fake smile. NO! I refuse to have my fashion picked out by this peacock! And I'm serious he is decked out like a peacock. He has longish gold, not blonde. But gold hair, with small peacock feathers sticking out at different angles, his top is blue. (Peacock blue to be exact) and his bottom is the same color. I don't even want to think about what his shoes look like.

"Ah Kimberly a picture of beauty!" he sighs walking over to me and grabbing my hand. "Well I know it will be hard to get used to wearing really nice clothing." He pauses for some dramatic effect. "But I shall make you stunning, you see I talked to Glenna, Blazes stylist. And we are to do you two polar opposites!" he squeals with delight.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, as he looks me over.

"He will be fire and you will be Ice for the entire time, of course we will change out your outfits for new ones but the theme stays." He says delightedly hopping up and down on one foot. That might not be too bad… He (I have still yet to get his name) calls the prep team back in, and tells them to get to work making me an ice princess.

After being puffed, pulled, shoved, glittered, bejeweled and stuffed into an uncomfortable dress, my stylist, (whose name appears to be Gabin) tells me to open my eyes. I look in the mirror. My prep team has really turned me into an Ice princess. The dress reaches mid-thigh in the front and trails on the ground in the back. It is sleeveless but somehow manages to stay put. The dress is white with sapphires scattered about it. They puffed my face with some stuff that makes my face paler then normal. They put on some type of mascara that makes my eyelashes look tipped with frost. My eyelids are white, with small sapphires glued onto them. My hair is in some kind of braid that is both messy and sophisticated at the same time, with white-fringed ribbons braided into it. My lips look, lighter than normal? And my nails are dark blue with snowflakes painted on them. Atop my head is a small, delicate silver tiara. The effect is stunning. They somehow managed to make me look beautiful, innocent, daring, and dangerous at the same time. I actually like the effect? I am not really nervous today is the parade. So all I have to do is stand there next to blaze while the crowd adores us. The entire prep team oohs and ahhs at me for a few minutes. Then come the shoes. Heels. Just my luck, right? They are magnificent though: the three and a half inch heels are designed to look like icicles, and the rest of them look covered in a thin layer if shiny snow. They fit perfectly, of course. And are actually not that uncomfortable. I walk around in them and remember my mom telling me, "Any woman can wear heels; it's in her blood." Back then I thought she was mad but now I kinda understand. I have never worn heels before but I can walk with the grace and ease of someone who has been wearing them their whole life.

'You look stunning!" Gabin exhales; As Glenna pokes her head through the door.

"All's ready!" She sounds like a mouse, a small purple very fury mouse.

"Okay!" Gabin says as he ushers me out the door. I look up at Blaze and I am shocked. No I have never thought blaze ugly but I sure never thought him attractive either. Well tonight… I can't really help it!

He is wearing a red button up shirt, the top four buttons aren't even attached to the shirt. His pants are a dark blue. Obviously meant to look like fire. His hair has red, gold, and orange streaks in it. He has light makeup on (Sadly the guys have to wear makeup too.) His lips are darker. His cape looks like fire when it ruffles, the metallic material shimmers orange, yellow, red, and blue in the light. He instead of a fancy crown, Wears a small golden circlet on his head. And he is in a pair of black boots. He looks taken aback at how I look. Do I really look pretty? I mean I know I look better than normal but that's not saying much. He openly stares at me though and it's hard not to laugh at his expression, so I do. He looks like a lovesick puppy. I give him the winning smile Lace told me to put on, he smiles at me so I laugh openly in his face.  
"So do I look alright?" I ask jokingly swishing my skirts about not expecting an answer.  
"You look amazing." He admits "As usual." He says before he can stop himself. Huh? I give him a questioning look but Lace comes up and tells us to get into the carriage. I'll ask him about it later.

Great! The carriage has to be super tall I can't even step into it. I do love the way it's designed though. Its base colors are red, orange and gold. But it looks covered in snow, like frosty fire, designed to match our outfits. I sorta hate this dress. Because of it I can't hop in so I'm left standing there while Blaze hops in with no problem.

"Blaze help!" I ask looking lost (I never! Ever! Look lost!) He laughs at me reaches down, grabs my waist and lifts me up!

"I meant offer me your hand," I complain to him, "Not pick me up like I'm a doll!" I hiss at him narrowing my eyes.

"But you look like one right now… with makeup on, a pretty dress, a crown…" He trails off as the carriage moves. The second it leaves the building I am deaf the crowd is about five hundred different colors, mostly shades of green though, with feathers that they wave about in the breeze. I give them the smile that took me three hours to perfect. Roses and feathers are falling on me. What is with everyone and the feathers? I look ahead of me, and talk about feathers. That is all district one are wearing, only covering up the most important parts. With how my stylist looks I'm lucky I didn't turn out looking like them.

After the parade, Lace, Lady, Gabin and Glenna, come to get us exclaiming about how good we were, how amazing out outfits are, how we should have caught the roses and feathers. Yuck no I do not want to touch something one of those slime covered excuses for people held. After we get up to the second floor. (The wait wasn't very long.) I immediately approach Blaze.

"You look amazing, as usual?" I ask, "Those words ring a bell in that thick scull of yours?" I ask even though he has the exact opposite of a thick scull, not sure what that's called. He looks at me startled that I'd bring it up again,

"Well you aren't bad looking," He says walking off. I catch up to him and pin him to the wall. Which is very hard in heels and a dress.

"Really? You said, to my face, that I usually look amazing," I tell him smirking that I caught him. He smiles at me. He neatly flips us over so he has me pinned to the wall,

"Let go!" I say trying and failing to get out of his grasp. He leans in and I am truly scared he is about to kiss me. When I can feel his breath on my face he looks me in the eye.

"You aren't bad looking." He repeats himself before letting me go and turning the corner into his room. That was really awkward.

I shake my head and go to my room; I turn on the TV and see myself, as the capitol see's me a pretty, fierce, strong, fearless, and stunning, girl in that gown. I wonder how they'll like me in the games. Still strong, still fearless, and still fierce. But not pretty without the makeup I am just a tiny girl good at everything except manners, and beauty. I flip the TV off they are just talking about the impression Blaze and I made. But what does it really matter if I can't make that impression in the arena?


	4. Scores and Memories

I move about the sheets trying to get Lady's voice out of my head.

"You need to get up or I'll send blaze in there to pull you out of bed myself!" She calls. I guess I should get up who knows how blaze will pull me out of bed. An outfit is at the end of the bed, a black shirt with the number two written in white on the back, and a pair of black shorts. I pull them on without thinking and head to breakfast.

"It's about time!" Lady snaps at me, I glare at her while grabbing some weird cereal.

"Where's Blaze?" I ask noting his absence.

"He's already training you are fifteen minutes late," Lace reproaches me shoving a sausage in her mouth. So he wouldn't have been able to pull me out of bed. Liar!

"Put me to death now." I say finishing my cereal.

"Work on survival today you'll need it." Was she hinting at the arena? No, mentors don't know what the arena is until we are shoved into it.

"Fine but tomorrow I work on weapons." I say walking out the door.

The training center is huge. Way bigger than the academy back home. I look around; both tributes from one are talking with each other at the spear station. The tributes from the outer districts are all in survival. I can't see blaze. Survival right! I head over to the fire-making station and start rubbing two rocks together, soon enough I have a spark then a small fire going. I smile before dumping some dirt on it and heading over to the poisonous berry station. Hmm, nightlock, verise, hurem, and fogberries, all of them are extremely poisonous so never touch them. Junem will give you a bad stomachache and grenth will make you throw up for days on end. I skim by that while looking at the other tributes; eleven are doing great in the plant ones, no duh! District eleven, agriculture. District seven's tributes are trying to wield daggers like swords, good luck.

"All the outer districts suck." Blaze comments from behind me.

"Yeah but the boy from nine is a little intimidating." I admit as he throws a spear at a dummy hitting it in the chest.

"He's terrible at the edible plants station, said you can eat nightlock without a problem." He says and we both bust out laughing.

"Hello two!" I hear a voice that sounds like a squeaky bird.

"One." I acknowledge her, she no longer has the pink contacts in, it turns out her eyes are a piercing blue, almost electric blue then she adjusts them, more contacts.

"What the heck is your actual eye color?" I ask as and she turns to me again with a secretive smile.

"No one knows." She says before walking off.

"Freak." I mutter after her causing Colton to laugh, I had no idea he had come up next to me until his booming laugh filled my ears.

"Ugh put a cork in it!" I complain covering my ears, which only causes him to laugh all the more.

"Sup I'm Colton." He says extending his hand out to me. He towers over me by almost two whole feet. I shake his hand moving a little closer to Blaze this kid intimidates me like there's no tomorrow.

"Kim." I say shaking his hand.

"I know." He says, "Sorry bout Glarer the girl is a freak." He says, and I can't help but laugh along with him a bit.

"Well?" Lace asks as we enter our floor.

"So far we are in alliance with district one and the boy from four." Blaze answers before I get the chance to.

"Good! Good!" Lace beams giving me a cup of coco, and blaze some coffee.

"So what now?" I ask, so far I have been to all the survival stations, and I tried my luck with a trident, no luck there.

"You can go down to the lobby, or the rooftop." Lady answers none of those sound interesting so I just head to my room. In two days we will do our individual training with the game-makers then the interviews then the arena. I'm not exactly psyched about any of those.

Everyone in the room is tense waiting for our training scores. Blaze looks like he will fall off the edge of his seat in two seconds.

"You had better of shown them your best!" Lace hisses though only looking at me.

"What did I do?" I ask just as she looks at Blaze. She chooses to ignore me, fine two can play at this game. I think sitting silently snorting as Glarer's face pops up in screen with a eight hovering around her,

"Not that impressive." Blaze points out slipping on the edge of the couch a bit.

"I know, her score isn't that good either." I say getting a small smile out of Blaze and lace, and a smack with a fan from Lady. Colton gets a nine, which is pretty good but I bet I'll be better. I hit every target right at a vital organ.

Blaze shoots up from his chare as an eleven pops up next to him.

"What the hell did you do?" I ask while everyone else celebrates. "I'll get a twelve," I mutter sitting back in my chare. Finally everyone sits down as my face comes up. My eyes dart all over the TV. Waiting for a two-digit number to pop up next to my face.

"Seven!" I exclaim I did way better than a seven. "There must be a mistake!" I say still looking at the number next to my face,

"Sorry dear, guess you didn't do as well as you thought." Lace says patting my back. I shrug her off running into the elevator and heading to the rooftop. I look over the edge trying to get my breath back. I take out my anger on a potted plant punching it till it breaks and my knuckles turn red.

"Now what did the plant do to you?"

"Get away Blaze!" I hiss, "I don't want to see you." I say glaring at him.

"Just cause I got a better score than you?" He asks walking up beside me.

"No because you look like a fairy!" I practically yell at him, grabbing a piece of the pot and hurling it off the roof. I Step back as it comes at me like a boomerang.

"Why can't they just let tributes commit suicide?" I ask staring down at the lights below me.

"Really Kim it's not that bad, so you got a bad score what does that do to you?" Blaze asks staying where he was giving me an amused look.

"Get rid of sponsors, which gets rid of some of my chances of winning!" I say staring at my bloodied knuckles.

"You aught to get that looked at we have one days till the arena, don't want you with busted up knuckles do we?" Blaze asks stepping forward a bit

"Why? Won't that be better for you?" I look away from him again looking at the shards of pottery scattered on the floor. He falls silent,

"Sor—"

"—Don't," He says cutting me off, "You're right the worse you are the better for me." He admits turning away and heading towards the elevator.

"Night Kimberly." He calls over his shoulder; causing me to throw a shard of pot at him it just grazes his ear,

"First time you've missed." He says turning to look at me. And I realize he's right I was trying to hit him.

He stares at me for a second before shaking his head and walking back to me.

"Why the hell are you still here?" I ask still looking at my knuckles that are still bleeding.

"Enjoying the view," He says looking down below. "One more day." He says staring out into the swirl of colors below.

"What?" I ask still refusing to look at him.

"One more day of breathing air that is not made for us. One more day of, of, of feeling real dirt!" He says picking up a clump of dirt and crushing it beneath his fingers.

"You mean one more day of natural things?" I ask still angry with him but seeing his point.

"Yeah too bad you had to ruin my last regular night." He says crushing the dirt with more vigor.

"What did I do?" I yell. If looks could kill a thousand, long, skinny, and sharp, needles would be poking into his skin right now.

"You, you're just…Being you." He says looking back down to his own hands.

"Excuse me!" I practically yell at him. "I ruined your last day of normality by being me! And besides it's the capitol it's the farthest thing from normal!" I hiss at him bunching and un-bunching my fists.

"No not that…" He starts but then stops.

"Well it certainly sounded like that!" I say cutting off whatever he was about to say.

"N—"he starts but I cut him off again but this time by hitting him repeatedly in the chest, over and over, and over again. Not even noticing my knuckles bleeding more staining his own shirt red. He grabs my wrists and looks me in the eyes.

"Kim, you're not okay." He says pulling me to his chest in a hug. Even with being comforted I struggle to get away from him. The front of his grey t-shirt is red. With how hard I was hitting him it could be his for all I know, but I don't care I just want to get away from him, sit in a corner, and die.

"Kim, Kim calm down." He says, pulling me tighter.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Get away!" I scream at him. "Kim calm down!" he says again but I barely register it. I'm being crushed, My Dads arm are tightening around me, killing me. Squeezing the life at me.

"Blaze what's going on?" Another voice joins my screaming and his calming.

"She just started acting up!" He says before walking into the elevator with someone else.

"NO!" I scream trying to get out of his grasp. The walls are closing in. getting smaller and smaller. I just keep screaming. he's doing it again! He's killing me all over again. Why does he do this to me?

"Kim it's alright." A woman says from next to me.

"Mom! Mom help me don't let him kill me again!" I Scream the memories flooding back. Hands start closing around my throat cutting off all air supply. I try to get away. I have to get away from him! My vision starts to blur. Why is he killing me again? Why does he keep doing this? I don't notice how a pair of arms put me down on something soft. He still is choking every last living breath from my body. I try to get away but he keeps doing it. I reach my hands up to try to stop his hands from breaking my neck; they come away covered in blood. I scream louder. When will it stop? Why won't it stop? Why does he keep killing me? Suddenly the hands leave, but I'm still screaming my voice incoherent. Telling him to stop choking me, to stop killing me, to stop hurting me, why doesn't Mom stop him? Why doesn't anyone care that my father is killing me? I can't scream anymore I try but the noises don't come out.

"She's in here." I hear the female voice speak again. And a man in a white suit appears in front of me. I was wrong I can still scream this time they can make out what I'm saying.

"Keep him away! Don't let him kill me again! Why do you keep killing me?!" I scream and he's gone along with everything else. My voice. My Mom. My Dad's study. The blood. The light. The last thing I see is a blond haired, blue-eyed boy looking at me with worry. Something sharp pokes into my skin and everything fades to black.

Dun Dun Dun! Cliffhanger! (Sorta.) Hope you enjoyed this chapter you know if anyone is even reading this or you know even glancing at it? Is anyone there? Helloooo! Do. You. Exist? Anyone? If you are checking this story out please R&R it would mean so much to me I mean… if not I might not continue….

Luv you, and have you ever noticed how plz seams more imploring then please? My random thought of the chapter!


	5. Note

Hey! sorry I haven't updated in a while! I have been really busy with school and family. But I am hoping to get a new chapter up within the next week so hang in there Love you whoever you are!

NPTG


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